The first thing Meshkatolzahra Safi did when she walked into the interview room at Melbourne Park after becoming the first Iranian girl to win a match at a Grand Slam junior event, was thank the two journalists attending the press conference for their support.
Talking to Safi, it doesn’t take long to understand how she has been able to break through in junior tennis, despite hailing from a country that hasn’t produced many champions, especially on the women’s side.
The 17-year-old, who at No 74 in the world junior rankings is Iran’s first top-100 junior player, takes great pride in breaking new ground for tennis in her nation, and is determined to show everyone back home, and the rest of the world, that what she is attempting to achieve in the sport is attainable.
“I just really want to say don’t give up on your dreams because when I started my journey, everybody in Iran was saying, ‘this is impossible, playing Grand Slams is impossible, you cannot do that’; especially to my mom. So I didn’t say my dream to anyone anymore and I just kept pushing,” Safi told The National in an interview at the Australian Open.
“So just keep pushing yourself, believe in your dreams, and don’t listen to everybody who is saying these things. This is really big for me and I hope I can continue; but I continue in every tough situation in my life, I just want to continue more.
“If you get a tough situation, just deal with that, keep your head up and just keep pushing yourself to better steps that you can reach far and far.”
On a scorching Aussie summer day at Melbourne Park, Safi took to 1573 Arena to face local qualifier Anja Nayar in the girls’ singles first round on Sunday. The Muslim teen was wearing a headscarf, full-length leggings under her shorts and a long-sleeved shirt.
She reached the Australian Open second round with a 6-4, 6-3 win in just under 90 minutes, showcasing some delicate touch and an all-court game while braving the Melbourne heat. She is the first hijabi to compete at a Grand Slam.
“I love the sun, but not this much,” joked Safi after the win. “But I’m used to this hijab and this covering. This is part of me now because I was playing with this since I was nine until today, in any tours, in any weather, cold or hot. I’m used to it.
“Of course I feel the heat, today was really, really difficult, especially between the points, but it doesn’t bother me. When you go to the match, when you play point by point, you don’t think about these things anymore.”
Safi stumbled upon tennis when she was eight years old, watching Rafael Nadal on television with her mother one day.
“In my country, if you ask which sport they like, they’ll say football. I remember the day I was watching television with my mother and we were watching Rafael Nadal, and we were so curious to see if there is any tennis court in Iran that we could go to just try,” she said.
Don’t give up on your dreams because when I started my journey, everybody was saying, ‘this is impossible, playing Grand Slams is impossible'
Meshkatolzahra Safi
“My family they are in love with sport, especially my father, he was a football player when he was younger and we were really curious: ‘What is tennis? Maybe I could try this?’
“When I started tennis they said I’m talented but I mean, I found out later what is ‘talented’ because when I see the players here, when I see the juniors, the pros here, I can see what is ‘talented’.”
Safi trains at Optigenpro academy in Tehran and admitted it has been a struggle figuring out a way to rise through the ranks. Besides the lack of practice partners, she says she faces great difficulty getting to tournaments, especially with no sponsors and troubles obtaining entry visas into other countries.
Despite that, Safi picked up six ITF junior singles titles in 2021 and hopes to compete in all four majors this season, provided she gets the necessary visas.
Growing up, it wasn’t easy watching tennis on TV but she hopes she can popularise the sport back home by continuing to rise through the ranks.
“I think now I’m one of the good reasons that everybody can see tennis in my country,” she said.
From a young age, Safi was keen to test her abilities against players from Europe and other regions to get a sense of her level in comparison to the rest of the world.
When I told her I was Egyptian and have covered sport in the Arab and Muslim world for over a decade, Safi immediately smiled and said: “I’m really happy to have you here today, that you can understand completely my situation as a woman in the Middle East who is playing a professional sport like tennis.”
It was an honest indication of how unique her journey is in a sport like tennis and she credits her parents for encouraging her to break through the barriers and pursue a career in the sport.
“My family is a really, really big reason that I can get here, especially my mother, she was pushing me all the time to the tournaments,” she explained.
“When I started playing ITF tournaments, I was losing every single match I played. And she was just pushing me, ‘You can get better, you can get better’, and I was really practicing hard.
“I had really, really tough times to get here. About everything, about practicing, about visas, about the tournaments… really it was hard, for my family, for my team, to get here, but we did it.
“The most important thing is that I kept pushing myself, kept practicing, kept believing, even after every match I lost, it was really sad but I was pushing myself to get better and play more tournaments so I can reach here.”
Safi names Nadal and football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo as her sporting heroes, crediting the former for introducing her to tennis and the latter for inspiring her to battle through tough moments.
“Ronaldo also had a really tough time, I was watching his documentary and I really got motivation that I can do this,” she said.
Safi’s tournament is not over yet and she is keen to keep her adventure going at the Australian Open, where she is competing in both singles and doubles.
“This was the biggest step in my career and Iranian tennis career,” she said. “I opened a new window to Iranian tennis because we didn’t have any player who played in Grand Slam juniors, or even in the pros. So I’m really happy to do that; today is a special day for Iranian tennis and I’m really happy to share this feeling with the Iranians.”
The five pillars of Islam
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed dual clutch
Power: 710bhp
Torque: 770Nm
Speed: 0-100km/h 2.9 seconds
Top Speed: 340km/h
Price: Dh1,000,885
On sale: now
'Panga'
Directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring Kangana Ranaut, Richa Chadha, Jassie Gill, Yagya Bhasin, Neena Gupta
Rating: 3.5/5
TO ALL THE BOYS: ALWAYS AND FOREVER
Directed by: Michael Fimognari
Starring: Lana Condor and Noah Centineo
Two stars
Ukraine
Capital: Kiev
Population: 44.13 million
Armed conflict in Donbass
Russia-backed fighters control territory
Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
more from Janine di Giovanni
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
